My Secret Ingredient

My secret ingredient? Hmm, that’s tough. I guess I’d have to say it’s bison. It’s really become a passion. Nine years ago, I had never worked with it, and now it’s a staple at Wildwood. I’m part owner here, along with my partner Stephen Reid. We source a lot of our products locally – like beef from Spring Creek Ranch, cheese from Sylvan Star and canola from Highwood Crossing. Of course, the bison is no different. We get it from Carmen Creek Bison.

Some cuts of bison, such as steak, need a shorter cooking time than beef. You have to cook with more caution, because it has about 30 per cent less fat.  But with briskets or short ribs, you need to cook it a little longer, at a lower temperature, so it doesn’t dry out – it’s a very dense meat. Being from Germany (I came here in ’86) that’s my favourite bison dish, short ribs, and I like it with a nice berry, vanilla and chipotle sauce.